Rheumatoid Arthritis: What Causes It?
What Causes It?
The pain that you feel from rheumatoid arthritis is caused by the inflammation that you feel. White blood cells are to blame for this pain. There is a tissue called the synovium that is inside your joints. It is the liner of them, allowing them to move easily. But, for some reason that is not fully understood, the white blood cells in your body attack this lining. White blood cells are actually the "good guys" in your body, fighting off bacteria and viruses that enter your blood stream. As they attack your joint's lining, they create additional problems for you.
As this lining is inflamed by the attack on it by the white blood cells, it begins to secrete a substance that is full of proteins. Those proteins end up enlarging the synovium, so much so that it makes movement nearly impossible for your joint. The larger that your joint gets because of the increased amount of proteins over time, the more painful it will be. Eventually, they can become deformed and unusable to you.
What causes your body to go through this process is somewhat unknown. Some scientists believe and a single infection can lead to it. You also carry certain genes that allow you to be more susceptible to the condition as well. Although arthritis itself is not necessary something that will be passed down, the potential for getting it, is. Other doctors believe that hormone irregularities are to blame for the condition.
Who's At Risk?
There are some individuals that are more likely to experience rheumatoid arthritis than others. Being female makes you more likely to have the condition as many more women will be diagnosed each year. In addition, age seems to be an indicator. Although anyone, even children can develop arthritis; most will get it as they get older. As mentioned, you may have genes that make you more susceptible to the onset of arthritis. Those that are exposed to infections also are at a higher risk than those that are not. Many scientists believe that those that smoke for a long period of time will also be more likely to suffer from arthritis. And, for some, there is no indicator that it will happen.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that is not fully understood. There are millions of people in the United States alone that suffer from arthritis. There is help, though. There are many medications that can be used to help lessen the pain that you are dealing with and also to help you to slow the progression of the condition.
Related Tags: cerebral palsy, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatology, ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatism
Greg Marsh is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Rheumatology and Rheumatism.
You can read more of Greg's articles about Rheumatoid Arthritis at http://www.whugu.com
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- Relieve Back Pain From Spinal Stenosis, Herniated Disc With Laser Spine Surgery
Do you suffer from chronic back and neck pain? Do you need surgery, but you're afraid of invasive pr - Issues And Advantages Of Hemorrhoid Medical Procedures
Hemorrhoid surgery is what people resort to if other therapies have failed. Surgical elimination fre - Anyone Can Be Affected By Lyme Disease Symptoms
Lyme Disease is a tricky one to diagnose. It is incredibly easy to contract due to the size of the t - Are You Sick?
Symptoms for Lyme disease are numerous. A portion of these are very apparent. Some are more subtle a - Acne Curing Techniques - Natural Methods
This writeup suggests yet more ways of clearing your acne for good. Water helps flush the body of to - What Are The Symptoms Of Kidney Problems?
Although many kidney problem symptoms share a variety of similarities, there are still variations de - Herpes - Treating The Pain
A herpes infection can be a very painful experience. This can also affect you physiologically, emoti - Personal Care Of Lung's Health: Avoiding Cancer
Cancer can be in the form of many names. It can affect even the smallest bone or muscle inside the h - Acid Reflux Disease - The Causes, Symptoms And Treatments
Acid reflux, or gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD), is a condition that produces abnormal reflu - What Will Happen If Gout Or High Uric Acid Is Left Untreated
Gout is not just a is toe pain that comes and goes, gout is a warning that sign that your body is un
Most viewed articles in this category:
- How to Cure Candida with Acidophilus
If you are having Candida, you need to know about acidophilus as it might help you with your conditi - The Symptoms Of Anorexia And Bulimia Nervosa
One of the most notable symptoms of anorexia and bulimia is the fast and excessive loss of weight. T - Self Care Tips For People With Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease can be overwhelming for many people who have it. Not only must patients face the - Common Wart Removal Doctor
Most common wart removal doctor or dermatologists are not only dealing with common warts but also wa - Crohn's Disease and You
If you have recently been diagnosed with Crohn's disease or another Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) - Codliver Oil to Remove Skin Moles and Warts
The use of codliver oil to remove skin moles and warts is noted however this is less popular as comp - Early Warning Signs of Parkinson's Disease - What To Look For
Parkinson's disease develops when the neurons of the substantia nigra in the brain become progressiv - Leaky Gut Syndrome, Celiac Disease, Crohn's Disease, and Colitis Linked to Altered Gut Permeability
Leaky gut syndrome:Leaky gut syndrome is a term often used in complementary or alternative medicine - Acid Reflux Disease Diet
Acid Reflux is becoming a common problem these days due to the changing life styles and poor eating - Viral Infection Headache From Meningitis
A viral infection headache can come from different types of viruses. The concern about having such